The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-07-17
MRS. ssooKs's BATH HOUSE
That is Looking for a SqattinR Place ON
the River Front at Red Bank.

That is Looking for n SqattinR Place ON
the River Front at Red Bank.
RED BANK, July 16.-Mrs. Shocks had
been in this attractive Jersey town years
ago. 1t charmed her because it was good
starting point for all classes of summer
rural amusements. The Shrewsbury River,
which bounds it on one side, is full Of
crabs and fish, and one of the most de-
lightful of waters for an evening sail and q
still bath. A little whirl of four or FIVE
miles brings one to the line of unique
villa facing the roaring ocean from sea
Bright to Long Branch. Nothing of inland
scenery in Jersey caR surpass for beauty
the drive out through Rumsom. The taste
for ocean sport, or for river sport, or for
the enjoyment of scenic beauty could be
easily gratiied, through residence in Red
Bank, and it was IN Red Bank that she ue-
termined to pitch her tent this summer.
She pitched it on the other side of the
river road-that is on the side of the road
which is farthest from the river. Ter
| raced fronts of the mansions on the other
side of the way extended down TO the
waters. Mrs. Shocks had bathed in that
water, and had been charmed by it. She
''struck out" for her swim, the friction of
her feet and hands made the pnosporescent
stream luminous about her; or how when
she stood up after dip the water ran
down her bathing suit in little balls of fire;
nor how delightfully."- cool the laving made
her sleep on the hottest of nights. And of
course the first thing she hankered after
when she got her tent on the banks of the
Shrewsbury was for one of thoss refresh
ing baths in its waters that she
remembered with SO much pleasure. A
bath could not be got without bath house,
and she forthwith ran to the village carpen-
ter to bid him build her one. In day or
two an implanted box of mammoth proper
tons strolled into her door yard. The vii
lage carpenter was underneath it, enquir-
ing where he should put it. Mrs. Shocks
vas stunned by the foolish verdancy of the
question. Put it? Why, put it down by
the river, of course. With torrent of in
exorable logic she quickly convinced him
that bath house in her door yard was of
no special use to her. He thought he had
knocked her invective into a cooked hat
by the stolid inquiry as to which part of
the shore she would have it on, till she
babe him take it to the place where the
river bottom was the sandlest and softest
for her delicate feet When he timidly
suggested that perhaps some one owned
that particularly desirable spot on the
shore front, she became a sudden advocate
of the Henry George land theories, and
urged that they applied with special force
to land on the water. She would ind
place for it, and followed by the great tim-
Der box she led the way to the river. The
bath house wandered up and down the
sanded and sheli-bestrewn b each for many
hours, till Mrs. Shocks discovered a wood
ed patch, that, with a woman's instinct,
she concluded belonged to no one ia par.
tieular and TO every one in general. Ahd
there it was finally landed. The next morn
lug an angry old woman with
sharp tongue rang Mrs. Shocks out Of
bed to order "that horrible old box taken
off her premises Sheahad evidently found
out who owned that piece of rivtr-fron
woodland For three days that bath
house moved up Ind down the shore front,
from point to point, till 1t has become
familiar question among the frequenters
OF the place, If they had met Mrs. Snooks
bath house in their travels lately? Last
night one of the generous owners of
pretty river view cook compassion on the
tired continuance and mace Mrs. ssSnooks
happy by giving her permission to gve il a
rest on her premises.
Mrs. Snooks's error is not an uncommon
one in these parts Everybody who comes
here seems to think that the shore front is
free to all, and they make the natives mis-
cradle by planting their cheap structures,
designed only for few weeks use, all
around on the beach without any regard
to the rights of property.
They are not always slightly, and the
river front is adorned by too handsome
line of villas to be marred by them. Ex-
Finance Commissioner Martin Drohan OF
Jersey City has a beautiful residence out
on Front street where he entertalns in
princely style. Further down the beach,
Henry S. White, who used to be, you will
remember, Collector of the jersey City
port, has another. The mansion next to
his, above the river, was occupied by
Theodore Moss, Of Wallack''s for several
summers. This year Col. John I. Nc
Anefny occupies it., Further down the
stream is the handsome summer residence
OF Incorporation Counsel William A,
Lewis. AT the depot one frequently meets
CounseloEs James B. Vredenburgh and
Flayel NJ, Gee, who ara not ''resideRters"
however, but come this way as the easiest
route from their Monmouth Beach cottages
to their offices in Jersey City.